WHY SOME COUNTRIES PAY MEDICAL INTERNS AND OTHERS DON’T

If you’re a medical intern, your life is already a rollercoaster of exhaustion. But what makes it worse? Whether your country pays you a salary or expects you to survive on "passion."
Some get paid , others get "valuable experience" (aka exploitation).
Let’s break it down with real numbers, global comparisons, and some dark medical humor.

1/ The Great Medical Internship Pay Divide

Some countries treat their interns as full-time employees, while others act like interns don’t need food,
rent, or a life outside the hospital.
Who pays, who doesn’t, and why? Let’s find out.

2/ Countries That Pay Medical Interns a Full Salary

United States – Interns make ~$60,000-$65,000/year. Not bad, but say hello to six-figure student loans.

Australia – AUD 75,000-85,000/year. Interns earn more than some senior doctors in low-income countries.

United Kingdom – £28,000-£32,000/year. NHS pays, but interns still live on instant noodles.

Germany – Approximately €1600/month. Enough for bratwurst and beer.

Canada – Depends on province. Some interns
make $55,000-$65,000/year. But in Quebec? ZERO.

Saudi Arabia & UAE – $2,000-$3,000/month. Tax-free, with hospital-provided accommodation. Doctors in MENA get paid AND pampered.

Qatar – Around $2,500/month, plus benefits. Welcome to medical luxury.

Oman & Kuwait – Similar to Saudi. Interns earn well, plus free housing and food.

3/ Countries Where Interns Are Paid Pennies (or Almost Nothing)

India – Stipends range from ₹5,000-₹30,000/month ($60-$360). Some states pay less than minimum wage.

South Africa – R20,000/month ($1,050). Workload? Brutal. Pay? Decent but could be better.

Brazil – R$3,000/month ($600). Private hospitals? They don’t even know what “stipend” means.

Mexico – $200-$300/month. Enough for tacos, but not much else.

Jordan & Egypt – Some interns get ~$150-$300/month. Others? Nothing.

Lebanon – With the economic crisis, interns often go unpaid or underpaid.

Tunisia – ~$150-$250/month. For working 60+ hours a week.

Egypt – ~Medical interns in Egypt receive a monthly stipend ranging from EGP 2,000 to EGP 2,500 (approximately $50 to $65).

4/ Countries Where Medical Interns Work for FREE

Canada (Quebec) – Imagine studying medicine for years, working 100-hour weeks, and getting… NOTHING.

Some European Countries – Medical schools argue that internships are “part of education.” Translation? Free labor.

Nigeria & Kenya – Many hospitals delay payments for months or don’t pay at all.

Pakistan – In government hospitals, interns might get a stipend. Private hospitals? "Experience is your payment."

Yemen & Syria – Due to economic instability, many medical interns go unpaid.

5/ Why Do Some Countries Pay and Others Don’t?

It all comes down to three major factors:
Government Healthcare Funding – Wealthier nations invest in their doctors. Poorer healthcare systems? Not so much.

Medical School Structure – In the US, interns are employees. In some countries, internships are part of medical school (so they don’t pay).

Exploitation & Tradition – Some countries believe in the "rite of passage":

"We suffered, so you must too."

Reality check: That’s just toxic.

6/ The "Suffering Builds Character" Scam

Older doctors LOVE saying:
"Back in my day, we worked 200-hour weeks, lived in hospitals, and got paid in peanuts and trauma."
Guess what? That doesn’t make it RIGHT. It just means you were underpaid too.

7/ The Hidden Costs of Unpaid Internships

Unpaid work favors the rich. Poor students struggle to survive.

Interns quit medicine due to financial stress.

Mental health collapses. Burnout skyrockets. Patients suffer.

Hospitals save money, but the system loses future doctors.

8/ What’s The Solution?

Pay interns a living wage.

Stop normalizing exploitation.

Recognize unpaid internships as a healthcare crisis.

Advocate for salary reforms in underpaying countries.

9/ If You’re an Unpaid Intern, You’re a HERO.

If you’re an unpaid intern reading this:

We see you. We appreciate you. You deserve better.

If your country pays interns, consider yourself lucky – and fight for those who aren’t.

Let’s make noise until ALL MEDICAL INTERNS GET PAID.

10/ What’s the situation in YOUR country?

Are interns paid fairly or treated like free labor?
Let’s discuss below!